Costs & benefits of natural capital

An infographic of impacts and benefits of urban ecosystem services provision

The scientific evidence gathered through research into ecosystem function and natural capital has become a powerful resource to support environmental groups, policy-makers and planners as they have planned their approaches to land management, environmental protection and ecosystem enhancement at a regional or national scale.

Furthermore, this improved understanding of the ‘value of nature’ has helped us to quantify and therefore better communicate its importance to society and this has, in turn, empowered environmental practitioners seeking to win financial or community support for their continuing efforts in this field.

Having said this however, for any individuals or organisations interested in delivering practical measures ‘on-the-ground’ that are designed to enhance the value of natural capital in urban landscapes (and which therefore also increase the benefits experienced by people living in them), this high-level evidence has not quite proved as useful.

Often this highly technical evidence is not readily accessible, engaging or presented in a clear easy to understand way. To demonstrate how some of these research findings could be presented in a more engaging and easier to understand manner we have created an infographic showing some of the key information.